April’s moth of the month is a micro moth that was last recorded in Derbyshire on 5th June 1971 from Via Gellia. Hysterophora maculosana (Small Bluebell Beauty) was recorded by Dave Evans whilst he was sweep-netting in a Bluebell Wood at Wyver Lane NR, Belper on 29th April 2026. The moth is highly dependant on Bluebell rich woodland and the larvae feed almost exclusively on the seed capsules of Bluebells. The adults fly during sunny afternoons and at night, but very rarely do they visit light traps, leading to under-recording.
The moth has a distinctive thoracic crest which is a mixed orange or reddish brown and black spotting across a white or dappled grey forewing with an obvious central dark greyish-blue cross-band and darker grey basal markings.
